Smart farms

: 07 April 2016; Hits: 16203

Why broiler-indigenous hybrid is more profitable

A farmer who opted to cross indigenous and exotic broiler chickens is making more profit from the sale of hybrid dorep poultry, which have improved characteristics.

Jeremiah Kamadi of Busia County says the secret lies in the boosting the attributes of the two breeds, a boiler and any indigenous chicken to obtain a hybrid.

Broilers are exotic birds reared for meat production. They grow rapidly and reach maturity faster than indigenous chicken.

They mainly feed on commercial feeds while indigenous birds obtain their nourishment from multiple, since most of them are reared on free-range. Adding green diet does not considerably boost the taste of the vigorously growing broilers.

“Broilers are excellent meat producers. But their meat is less attractive in the market-especially in rural areas. Crossing a broiler with an indigenous chicken drastically improves the quality of the meat,” he says.

Given that the traditional chicken yield smaller quantity meat, the crossing improves its weight for a higher fetch-the dorep chicken would have fairly good weight and improved taste.

A cock can weigh from three kilogrammes onward while a hen would yield from two kilogrammes, with both depending on feeding and other management practices.

Dorep is easy to raise since it can feed on broilers mash and ordinary food remains and grains besides scavenging for insects, grass and other green matter around the homestead.

Besides, the agripreneur said, the maturity time of the breed is higher than traditional chicken, because of the characteristic inherited from the broiler.

“In two to three months, a farmer would start earning from the eggs. The weight of the chicken would also be reasonably good for sale. Dorep farming means quick maturity and higher earnings.” he said.

A mature cock can fetch between Sh1,500 and Sh2,000 while a hen can earn one between Sh500 and sh1,000 depending on the demand.

The eggs are sold like kienyeji ones earning between Sh20 and Sh25 per piece. Kamandi, who started with 50 hens saw the potential in the hybrid, therefore, increased the brood to 200.

Kamadi, however, warns that rushing into poultry farming before identifying the market, would be disastrous.

“The longer the time you take to sell your chicken after attaining maturity, the more loss you welcome in sustaining them. You must first know if you will be supplying the chicken to urban residents or some business enterprise,” he said.

Thieves frequently visiting his farm have, however, discouraged him from his Funyula enterprise and he is looking for a safer place to relocate to.

One can buy chicks from hatcheries or incubate dorep-laid fertilised eggs.

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: 07 April 2016; Hits: 8644

Proper hygiene safest way of increasing milk shelf-life

Farmers must stick to proper milking practices to reduce contamination, which significantly reduces the shelf-life of this highly perishable product before it reaches far-flung markets.

According to the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), contamination occurs in the milking and post-handling processes, increasing microbes that quicken deterioration.

Danger

Milk suppliers from Rift Valley and other regions have resorted to adding hydrogen peroxide to prolong the shelf-life of raw milk.

The Kenya Dairy Board says more than 70 per cent of between 100,000 litres and 200,000 litres of raw milk transported to Nairobi daily is locally ‘treated’ with this chemical for preservation.

The board warns that unregulated use of the chemical can enhance development of throat cancer.

Good use is safe

Delia Grace, a food safety expert at Nairobi’s International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), says hydrogen peroxide is not entirely harmful when used in small amounts. In fact, it is industrially used in preserving the milk and production toothpaste because of its disinfection and bleaching properties respectively.

“There are minor concerns over known negative health effects of consumption of moderate amounts of hydrogen peroxide, but these are much higher than would be present in milk."

"The main concern is that it might be used to stabilise deteriorating milk which is not of good quality, allowing for marketing and sale of sub-standard produce,” said Grace, who leads ILRI’s Food Safety and Zoonoses program

Hygiene is key

FAO says the journey of lengthening the lifespan of milk starts way before the actual process of milking.

Cleaning the udder with lukewarm water and dirt-free individual drying towels would ensure moulds, fungi, bacteria and other germs are greatly reduced.

The stockman must also observe high standards of personal hygiene.

The global agency says milking equipment must be clean and most preferably smooth and rivet-less. Rough and riveted surfaces are most likely to host microbes, which cannot be eliminated while cleaning the equipment.

Increased contamination and normal environmental temperatures accelerate microbial activity, therefore, the milk goes bad before it reaches the market.

Sterilisation

Inasmuch as the micro-organisms may not be eliminated completely, hygiene can keep them at about 50,000 per milliliter, which is not risky, FAO says.

Regular tests for mastitis and other cow ailments and routine hygiene procedures would help reduce the level of microbes in milk.

Disinfectants like sodium hypochlorite at 300 ppm can be added water used for cleaning the udder.

Regular sterilization of milking equipment, including drying them in the sun, would reduce instances of microbial infestation in the milking containers.

Containers

A recent sting operation conducted jointly by the Kenya Dairy Board and police found the suppliers packing milk in plastic 20-litre jerrycans.

“Non food grade plastic can contain heavy metals or chemicals above levels considered safe. It can also be unsuitable for storing food because it is thin or weak and prone to rupture or breach by pests or because it can be easily scratched, and the scratches are difficult to clean,” she said.

Aluminum gallon containers are preferred for transporting milk and glass containers for home storage.

With the low temperatures of below 4 degrees Celcius being the most preferred to arrest microbial activity ILRI says cooling remains the best approach of preserving raw milk before processing. At home, fresh milk can be placed in a cold water bath.

Steve Staal from the institute says FAO has worked with other agencies in developing lacto-proxidase treatment, but approval status of the enzyme is unclear.

For that reason, it is not in use in Kenya.

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: 07 April 2016; Hits: 9149

Keenly observe heat signs for successful cow fertilisation

Increased attention to heat signs is one of the surest ways of increasing chances of successful fertilisation in cattle to avoiding economic losses.

A farmer would incur direct insemination costs for a non-yielding service and have more unproductive days until the next month.

Research reports show that errors in observing the heat patterns in dairy cattle during the oestrous cycle account for more than 30 per cent of failed fertilization processes.

Patrick Nyauma, a veterinarian in Nyamira County says bull or artificial insemination may fail if the signs are not read well because cow can only be on heat within eight to 30 hours.

The officer says sperms can stay in the female reproductive system for as long as 48 hours after insemination, but highest chances of ferilisation are 12 hours after the first heat signs were detected.

“Sperms are able to fertilise an ovum within 18 and 24 hours from the onset of heat. But they have to be in the fallopian tube for at least six hours for capacitating.This, therefore, means that a farmer has to be careful in detecting the climax of fertility,” he said.

A cow will be on heat after 18 to 24 days. It is not hard to tell that a cow needs to b served for it will exhibit unusual behaviour.

The behavous result from increased oestrogen and reduced progesterone hormone levels in the blood.

“A cow on heat will mount on others for three to seven seconds and when, mounted, it stands still. It will also sniff genitalia of others and raise its head while curling lips,” he said.

A farmer would observe mucosal discharge from the vulva, which shows a cow is ready to be served by a bull or artificial insemination.

Whilst in most times the it may smear the thighs and tail, the mucus at times may fail to come out- it remains in the cervix and a palpation examination can confirm the cow is indeed ripe.

The vulva will redden, become less sticky, and warmer and moist. The cow will be restless, bellow a lot and lose appétit to feeding.

It will go back to normal I it is served or until the period lapses naturally.

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